Stimulating music increases motor coordination in patients afflicted with Morbus Parkinson

The present study measured the short-term effect of special stimulating music on motor coordination in Parkinson patients. Eleven patients with a dominant akinetic Parkinson syndrome as well as ten healthy persons (age-matched control group) participated in this study. In the Parkinson group, the measurement of fine motor coordination with the 'Vienna Test Systern' showed an improvement in two (aiming, line tracking) of the four subtests after listening to the music. The patients improved their performance with the right arm significantly in the subtest aiming-error-time. No statistical differences were found in the other two subtests (steadiness, tapping) in both groups. There was also no improvement in frequency of tapping movement on the power-force-working-plate. Accordingly, music effects more the precision of a movement than the speediness. The measurements on the power-force-working-plate showed a significant improvement in two of five measured parameters: contact time, variability coefficient for total step and impact maximum changed significantly. This study gives evidence that specific music can improve the precision of arm and finger movements. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.